at the end. They had an AFC-leading 15 turnovers coming into the game. ..

WASHINGTON -- Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper showed plenty of pop Thursday in his first on-field batting practice since undergoing ligament surgery on his left thumb last month. Adidas Stan Smith Nederland . "Honestly, we almost ran out of baseballs," manager Matt Williams said. "Between he and Wilson (Ramos), whoever gets in the park first today and goes to the outfield will have lots of souvenirs." Williams said Harper will begin a minor league rehab assignment after the Nationals begin a road trip next week. "Im still trying to see where my swings at. ... I dont see myself coming back after five games or four games," Harper said. "I really want to push it and see how I feel after eight, nine games down there. If I feel good before that, then Ill see where Im at." Williams will have to do some shuffling when Harper returns. Ryan Zimmerman, whose chronic shoulder problems have moved him off third base, has been playing in Harpers spot in left field. Williams originally said Zimmerman will move back to third, but now the manager says he will move players around depending on matchups and to give players rest. Zimmerman could be playing first base, third base or left field, while Harper will be used in all three outfield positions. Anthony Rendon will shuffle between second base and third base. "It doesnt really matter to me. I just want to play," Harper said. "I just want to be in the lineup and hopefully I can come back and help the team win." The Nationals have been playing well recently in Harpers absence, moving into first place in the NL East ahead of Thursdays opener of a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves. "One through nine, everyones swinging it really, really well right now. Were playing well. Im the odd man out, I guess," he joked. Adidas Prophere Schoenen Heren . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. Adidas Superstar Goedkoop . Wade is posting a short film on his website next week, with a sneak preview scheduled to come out Wednesday. http://www.nmdtekoop.com/prophere-sneakers.html . Thornton emerged as one of the leagues best defensive ends against the run in 2013. The former undrafted free agent from Division II Southern Arkansas led Philadelphias linemen with 78 tackles and had one sack.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs had their backs to the end zone in the third quarter on Sunday, and the Houston Texans had first-and-goal with an opportunity to take the lead. Three straight plays went nowhere and the Texans had to settle for a field goal. It was a virtuoso display by the NFLs stingiest defence, and a signature stand in a stellar second half. The Chiefs kept repelling the Houston offence the rest of the way, and the result was a 17-16 victory to extend their perfect start. "You know as well as I do you win with great defences. Thats how it rolls," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "You cant be successful like we are without a great defence." Nor can you be successful without a guy like Jamaal Charles, who ran for 86 yards and a touchdown, or quarterback Alex Smith, who also had a touchdown scamper. "It was a physical game," Charles said, "the kind of a game this team needs to go far." The game was still in doubt even after the Chiefs goal-line stand. They had to punt with 1:46 left, but the Texans had no timeouts. Case Keenum threw an incompletion on first down, and then was stripped by linebacker Tamba Hali on the ensuing play. Derrick Johnson recovered the ball for the Chiefs, and Smith simply kneeled on it from there to run time out. The result was a 7-0 start for Kansas City, trailing only the 9-0 mark put up by the 2003 team for the best in franchise history. In the Super Bowl era, 31 teams have started 7-0 and all qualified for the playoffs. Fifteen of those 31 clubs advanced to the Super Bowl and nine have won it. "Its confidence," said Hali, who was part of the Chiefs two-win team last season. "Guys believe in what were doing. They believe in one another, and that goes a long way." Keenum, making his first NFL start in place of the injured Matt Schaub, threw for 271 yards and a touchdown for the Texans. His performance was overshadowed by a pair of crushing injuries: Running back Arian Foster left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return, and linebacker Brian Cushing was carted off with a left knee injury in the second half. "It was very detrimental to us," said Texans coach Gary Kubiak, whose banged-up team is riding its first five-game skid since Nov. Adidas Superstar Nederland. . 6-Dec. 11, 2005. "When they can pin their ears back, theyre very, very difficult," Kubiak said. "They came and got us pretty good there late in the game." The Texans moved the ball well early on, taking the lead on Randy Bullocks 48-yard field goal. But the scoring drive proved costly when Foster left for the locker room, and then emerged a short while later in a grey sweatsuit. "Im going do everything I can to get healthy and come back and fight," he said afterward. The Chiefs took the lead later in the first quarter when Charles pounded into the end zone from a yard out to cap an 82-yard drive. But the Texans, behind Keenums unflappable play, retook the lead on a 29-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins. "He did a great job," Kubiak said of his young quarterback, who beat out T.J. Yates for the starting nod. "Hes got some things hes got to understand when they come after him. But he made some great football plays to get his team in position to win." Indeed, the Texans still led 10-7 midway through the second quarter. Smith proceeded to guide the Chiefs 97 yards in 15 plays, and his 5-yard draw gave the Chiefs the lead at halftime. Bullock tacked on two more field goals for Houston, and Ryan Succop hit one for the Chiefs, who came within inches of extending their 17-16 lead early in the fourth quarter. Tight end Anthony Fasano caught a pass at the goal line and was ruled down, and Reid was unsuccessfully in challenging that it should be a touchdown. Charles was stuffed on the next play, and Smiths pass to wide open Sean McGrath on fourth down was out of bounds. It turned out that the missed points didnt matter. The Chiefs defence made sure of that. Notes: The Chiefs had five sacks, giving them 36 on the season. ... Ben Tate had 50 yards rushing for Houston. ... The Texans did not commit a turnover until Keenum was stripped at the end. They had an AFC-leading 15 turnovers coming into the game. ... Smith had 231 yards passing. ' ' '